Drikung Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche was born in 1939 in the Nangchen region of eastern Tibet as the reincarnation of Lama Phurga (1883-1938). Lama Phurga was famous for his ability to see into a person’s past, present and future lives. After his death the search for his reincarnation began with the submission of candidates’ names to H.H. the 34th Drikung Kyabgon, Shiwai Lodro. H.H. wrote down the zodiac signs and birth years of the parents and the new Tulku.For the location of the family, H.H. the 16th Karmapa found in meditation the name of the mother.

H.E. the Tai Situ Pema Wangchen wrote a letter to the father of the new Tulku. At the age of five, he was enthroned as a Tulku in accordance with prophecies and started traditional Buddhist training in Lo Lungkar Gon monastery. Besides his root Guru Khunu Rinpoche, he also acquired teachings from the Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug schools with numerous precious masters. But Rinpoche did not only receive these precious transmissions, he practiced each teaching without error from the beginning to the completion stage. Therefore Rinpoche is a complete repository for the blessings and teachings of the Lord Buddha and a true vehicle for freeing sentient beings from the grip of samsara.

In 1961, Rinpoche went into exile in India. In 1985 he established Jangchub Ling in Dehradun, India to serve as the seat for H.H.Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche and proceeded to serve as his private secretary. During a global teaching trip in 1986, H.H. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche bestowed the title Lamchen-pa (knower of the path).